Potato-digger



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G. M. D. POMEROY.

PoTATo DIGGBIL Patented May zo, 1890.

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PATENT POTATO-DIGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,288, dated May 20,18940.

Application filed February 4., 1890. Serial No. 339,178. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. D. POME- ROY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lebanon, in the county of Boone and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPotato-Diggers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inpotato-diggers; and it has for its object, among others, to provide animproved 'device of this character wherein provision is made for theready adjustment of the parts, ready means for dumping the potatoes fromthe box when the same gets full, means for efficiently sifting the dirtfrom the potatoes on their way to the box, and for keeping the dirt fromthe gear-wheels and' op? erating mechanism.

The novelty resides in the peculiar combinations and the construction,arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafterdescribed, shown in the drawings, and then particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure lis atop plan of a potato-diggerconstructed in accordance with my invention, parts being broken away tobetter show other parts. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal sectionthrough the same with parts broken away.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in both figures of thedrawings,

Referring now to the details of the' draw ings by letter, A designatesthe side bars of the frame connected at the rear by the vertical platea, which forms the front side of the potato-box. These side bars areformed with apertures a', in which work the wheels B, the said wheelsbeing carried by the axle B', which is bent, as shown in Fig. 1, withits transverse portion secured to the forward face of the vertical platea, as shown in Fig. 2, the wheels being upon the end portions orstub-axles thus formed, as seen best in Figui. The outer ends of thesestub-axles havebearings in the armsl B2, secured to the outer face ofthe side bars, as shown at b in Fig. l, and bowed out for strength andto bring the Wheels substantially in vertical line with the side bars.

On one end of the axle,iu proximity to the side bar, there is agear-wheel C, which meshes with a gear-wheel C on the same end of theshaft or drum D, which is journaled in suitable bearings in or attachedto the side bars.

at the gear end'and tapered toward the opposite end for the purpose ofcarrying the dirt away from the gears, as will be readily un- 'derstoodrlhis drum has radial arms d, the outer ends of which are connected bythe longitudinal bars D', which are connected and braced by the rods orwires E, which extend from bar to bar, as shown best in Fig. 2, and forma sort of rectangular beater. The outer face or edge of each of thetransverse bars D is provided with a plurality of wires F, which aresecured to the said bars at one end, the other end being free and bent,as shown in Fig. 2, with a portion at right angles to the said bar, andthe free end bent at an angle and on a slight curve, as shown in saidFig. 2. I have found from experience that this is the best form, as itreadily enters beneath the potatoes, and as the bar is raised This shaftor drum D is conical, being largest the potatoes fall into the anglesnear the bar y and are thus held till the wires or fingers reach thepoint where the potatoes are delivered into the box.

The top edge of the plate 0 which forms the front of the box, isprovided with a plurality of fingers or wires e, which are inclinedslightly upward and forward, as shown in Fig. 2, so that as the potatoesare delivered thereon by the fingers of the rotating drum they will falldown upon the said inclined iingers or wires and be delivered into thebox. The fingers on the plate a are so arranged in relation to those onthe drum that they will pass between each other, as indicated in Fig. l.

As above stated, thevertical plate a forms the front side of thepotato-box. The remaining portions of the box are formed as follows: Thetwo side pieces f are hinged at 'their upper edge, as shown in Fig. 2,to the rear end IOO of the side bars A by means of suitable hinges f',being free at their lower ends and at their rear edges connected by therear side piece g of the box, whichis inclined from its rear upper edgedownward and forward, as shown in said Fig. 2, so as to comparativelyclose the bottom of the box or form a box with a closed bottom, a slightspace, however, being left through which the dirt may sift and yet notallow the potatoes to escape. Upon each side ot' the box, upon the sidepieces thereof, is a lever G, the lower end of which is notched, asshown at G', to engage stop-pins g' on the side bars, the rear an dupper ends of said levers being connected by a cross-bar II, arrangedparallel with and to the rear of the rear side of the box. Normally thenotched ends of the levers are engaged with the stop-pins on the sidebars and hold the two side pieces and rear side of the box closedagainst the front side, as shown in Fig. 2. Vhen the box is full and itis desired to dump the potatoes, the cross-bar is depressed slightly,su'ITicient to clear the notched ends of thelevers from their engagementwith the stop-pins on the side bars, when, by a slight movement to therear, the rear side and side pieces of the box will be brought away'fromthe front side, as indica-ted by dotted lilies in Fig. 2, allowing thepotatoes to fall and be discharged in a heap on the ground. After thebox is emptied the parts are returned to their normal position by simplypressing the cross-bar forward and then raising up slightly on it, whenthenotched ends of the levers will engage their stop-pins on the sidebarsv and loclcthe parts in. position. I preferably provide guide-loopsg2 on the side pieces of the box for the levers to prevent them fromdropping too low when the parts are in the position indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 2.

I are vside wings, which are designed to be detachably secured upon theupper edges of the side bars to prevent the potatoes from falling overthe sides. The forward ends of the side bars are tapered t-o nearly apoint, as shown in Fig. 2, and are provided with side shovels or plowsI', which may be attached thereto in any suitable way.

J is the digger or front shovel. It is suitably held between the sidebars at the forward ends thereof, and consists of the lateral or crossbars J', to which are secured the plurality of points J 2, as shown inFig. l. These are -arranged at an angle, as shown in Fig. 2, and areadapted to shovel up the potatoes to be gathered up by the revolvingdrum, hereinbefore described. The rearend of this digger is providedwith the rearwardly and slightly upward extending wires or iin gers K,the rear ends of which are turned up slightly, as shown at k, to betterhold the potatoes until they are taken up by the fingers on therevolving drinn. These fingers are so arranged in-relation to those onthe drum as to allow them to readily pass each other without contact.

To the inner face of the side board, at the rear end of the axle anddrum, I provide a shield L, of any suitable n'iaterial,which covers thegears, and this, in addition to the taper of the drum, serves toeffectually keep the dirt from getting into and clogging up the gears.

At their forward end the side boards or bars extend upwardly, as shownat I, and form a sort of ears of lugs Z', in which are secured the endsof the arch beam or brace M, which has a'bifurcated portion to receiveand form a guide for the tongue M'. Secured to the side bars to the rearof the saidarch is the bail N, which engages a loose bearing m on theunder side of the tongue at the rear end thereot, so as to allow thesaid tongue to be raised or lowered as occasion may require. This tonguecarries at its forward end suitable means for attachment of the draft.,as shown in Fig. 2, and between the point of attachment of the draft andthe guide or arch beam M is provided with a vertical slot lmin which isloosely pivoted on a transverse pivot n a` depending hanger N', to thelower end of which are pivotally secured the forward ends of the leversO, the forward end of each of which is curved, as shown in Fig. 1, beingpivoted at o to the lugs or ears Z', above described. The rear ends ofthese levers are provided with suitable handles, as'shown in Fig. l,which work in guide-loops p on the side bars. Each handle has pivotallyattached thereto a lever I), which at its forward end carries a pin p',which passes through a hole in the handle, and at its inner end isbifurcated, as shown in Fig. l, and adapted to engage a rack-bar Q onthe side bar. A flat spring R is attached at its forward end to thehandle and at its rear end fastened to the said pin in such a manner asto normally exert its influence to hold the bifurcated end in engagementwith the raclcbar. By pressing inward on the rear ends of these leversthe pins are withdrawn from their engagement with the rack-bars, andthelevers may then be elevated or depressed vto raise or lower thetongue and. change the depth to which the digger shall enter the ground.

The operation will be readily understood, and a detailed descriptionthereof is not deemed necessary.

l. The combination, with the frame, of the rear portion of the boxhinged thereto and having an inclined rear side, substantially as shownand described.

2. The combination, with the side bars and vertical rear plateconnecting the same, of the hinged portion of the box having an inclinedrear side, leaving a space at the bottom for the escape of dirt7 asshown and described.

3. The combination,with the side bars and the rear connecting-plate, ofthe movable portion of the lbox hinged to the rear ends of the sidebars, the stop-pins on the side bars, and the levers pivoted on the endpieces of the IOO I'IO

movable portion and engagingsaid stop-pins, as set forth.

4. The combination, with the side bars and the rear plate connecting thesaine and forining the front side of the box, of the movable port-ion ofthe box hinged to the rear ends of the side bars, the stop-pins on thesidebars, the levers pivoted on the end pieces of the movable portion ofthe box and formed with notched forward ends, and the cross-barconnecting therear ends of the levers and are ranged behind the rearportion of the boX, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the side bars having' apertures, of the wheelsin said apertures, the axle having bent portion and the ends formingstub-axles carrying the said Wheels, and the brace-bars secured to theouter faces of the side bars and forming bearings for the ends of theaxle, substantially as described.

G.' The con'1bination,with the side bars and the digging anddirt-sifting devices arried thereby, of the tongue, the bifuroatedsupport therefor, and the levers pivotally connected with the side barsand pivotally connected with the tongue, asset forth.

7. The oombination,with the side bars and the digger and sifting devicescarried thereby, of the tongue hinged to the side bars, the hangerpivotally suspended from the tongue, and the levers pivoted on the sidebars and at their forward ends curved inward and pivotally connected tothe lower end of said hanger, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence 0f two witnesses.

GEORGE M. D. POMEROY.

Witnesses:

DAVID IRICK, DAVID M. HENRY.

